Defective car equipment detecting devices for railways

ABSTRACT

A light source and a photocell mounted upon opposite sides of each rail of railway track to produce an independent ray over each rail, said two rays being in alignment with each other transversally of said track and means for producing one signal when both rays are simultaneously intercepted, such as by the wheels of a passing train, and a second different signal when either one of said rays is independently intercepted such as by dragging equipment depending from said train.

U ited Stet es Patent References Cited 7 UNITED STATES PATENTS Marion Gi eskieng [72] Inventor 1333 s. Franklin St., Denier, Colo. 8020:

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yWS t opposite sides of each rail of -railwa pendent ray over each rail; said with each other transversall A G wv T C E T E D T ms P s Ag wfi Q L m Cmm W mm CCM mwu EE DDw ys are simultaneously interpassing train, and a second f said rays is independently gging equipment depending from ao r e i n o o b w a a m m hW.H e m hn ates n h .m bw m m h chd u e .m mm..m c a ummmn dte m m-mil Pcdhm 94 M@& 33 W W 41 4 4 2 2 m m.mS L f 0 wm .N U MF .1 11] 2 0 5 55 .l [l

PATENIED JANZ 6-19?! SHEET 1 [IF 3 WWW! q N M.\ 1 Ill 0 0 5w. a. o L Hwy lllllllllnl l lllllll .lnllll Ill ll I l I l l I'll-Ill FOR RAILWAYS railway track. Mechanical contact devices cannot be effectively'positioned in these important zones due to the fact that the car wheels pass directly therethrough and it is difficult for mechanical detection devices to differentiate between the passing wheels and passing hazardous extraneous objects the rails or closely adjacent thereto.

Another object of this invention is to provide warning signal means for the detection of the passage of the wheels of a train and the passage of extraneous, hazardous equipment depending from said .train which will differentiate the signals produced by such extraneous equipment from the signals produced by the passing wheels so that objects in close proximity to, sliding on or dragging against either of the rails can be detected. The preferred signal means of this invention is alight ray independently directed across each rail. The two rays being in alignment with each other and so interconnected that when both rays are simultaneously intercepted, such as when the wheels on a car axle are passing, a different signal will be produced than when only one ray is intercepted, such as by a dragging brake beam, shoe or shoe key-on; or adjacent to, only one of the rails.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means for mounting the ray producing and receiving means adjacent the rails so that they will not be damaged, or their operation interfered with, by the passage of accidentally depending equipment on the cars of the passing train.

Still another object is to combine with the above dragging equipment detection, wheel inspection means whereby 1 damaged, badly worn or loose wheels or missing wheel will also be detected in addition to and in combination with the dragging equipment detection. f I

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, econorny, and efficiency. These will become more apparent from the following description. I

In the following detailed description of the invention,

reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the I drawings and throughout the description.

. i In the drawings: I I FIG. I is a top plan view of a section of a conventional railway track showing the defective carequipment detector of this invention in place thereon;

FIG. 2 is a lateral cross section of the track taken looking toward the detector of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary section taken on the line .3-3, FIG. 1 wherein one element of the detecting device is ilin the car equipment detecting device of this invention.

In thedrawing, the .track rails have been indicated from left to right by the numerals l0 and 11 and the ties and other conventional track equipment have been omitted for the sake of clarity.

The improved detecting device is supported upon a tubular shaft-l2 which is rotatably suspended below, and transversally of, the rails and 11 in suitable bearings l3 secured to hanger plates I4 there being one ofthe hanger plates I4 positioned against the outer edge ofthe base ofeach rail I0 and II as shown in FIG. 2. Each of the hanger plates 14 is clamped towards the outer edge of the base of the adjacent rail by.

means of clamp bolts and fulcrum bolts I6 which extend inwardly beneath the rail through a clamp plate l7 positioned against the inner edge of the base ofthat rail. A ledge plate [8 is bolted, by means of suitable clamp bolts 19, to the upper portion of the inside face of each hanger plate 14 so as to rest upon the top of the outer edge ofthe base of the adjacent rail. A similar ledge plate 18 is similarly mounted on the upper portion of the inside face of each clamp plate 17 to rest upon the top of the outer edge of the base of the adjacent rail. The ledge plates prevent downward movement of the shaft 12 rela tive to the rails. I

The hanger plates 14 and the clamp plates I7 are electrically insulated from the rails 10 and 11 by intervening sheets of electric insulation 20 and the clamp bolts 15 pass through and are also electrically insulated from the rails by means of suitable insulating tubes 21 as shown in FIG. 3. The ledge plates 18 and 18 and the clampbolts 15 are also electrically insulated from the hanger plates I4 by means of suitable intervening insulation 43.

The fulcrum bolts 16 are ofa type which can be clamped to the hanger plates 14 by means of a first clamping nut 22 and which can then be clamped to the clamp plate I7 by means of other adjustable clamping nuts 23 so that the plates I4 and I7 will be maintained in the proper vertical clamping position on all sizes of rails and at all tensions in the clamp bolts 15. The shaft mounting structure shown in FIG. 3 with reference to rail 11 is repeated, at opposite hand, with reference to rail 10 so that the tubular shaft 12 is firmly and rotatably attached beneath both rails at right angles to their axes.

A plurality of tilting elements are fixedly mounted on the tubular shaft 12 in side-by-side aligned relation by means of suitable, spaced attachment bolts or cap screws 24 which are tapped into threaded holes in the opposite sides of the shaft 12. The number of tilting elements may be varied but as illus trated seven elements are employed. They comprise: three medially positioned tilting elements 25, two inside tilting elements 26, one of which is positioned inside of and closely adjacent to each of the rails; and two-outside tilting elements 27, one of which is positioned adjacent each extremity of the shaft 12 closely adjacent the outside of each of the rails. All of the tilting elements are provided with vertical rows of screw holes 29 to receive the cap screws 24 so that the height of the elements can be adjusted to suit various heights of rails and other field conditions.

The medial tilting elements 25 are similar in construction and each comprises two plates welded or otherwise joined together at their upper edges or a single plate bent downwardly upon itself and spread apart at the lower edges in inverted V-shaped relation so as to pass on opposite sides of the shaft 12, as shown in FIG. 6, to receive the cap screws 24.

' The two inside tilting elements 26 and the two outside tilting tively flat, normally vertical, hollow equipment boxes such as illustrated in FIG. 5.

A cylindrical spiral torsion spring 30 surrounds the shaft 12 beneath each of the rails 10 and 11. The springs 30 are anchored at their outer extremities to spring sleeves 57, which are affixed to the shaft 12 by means of suitable set screws 58, and which extend inwardly through the bearings 13. The springs extend inwardly through spring openings 31 in the clamp plates 17 and terminate adjacent to and inwardly from the latter as shown at 34 in FIG. 4. The inner extremities 34 of the springs extend into arcuately elongated receiving openings 32 formed in spring arms 33 which are affixed to and extend upwardly from spring collars 61 which are rotatably mounted on the shaft 12. The arrangement is such that the spring 30 adjacent one rail tends to rotate its spring collar 61 in one direction and the spring adjacent the other rail tends to rotate its spring collar in the opposite direction. The rotative tendencies of the spring collars are circumscribed by means of stop pins 35, which project toward each other from the clamp plates 17, against which the spring arms oppositely contact, and by means of set screws 59 which project radially from the shaft into circumferentially elongated receiving slots 60 in the spring collars 34. The set screws 59 allow the shaft a limited rotative movement relative to their spring collars. The arrangement is such that should dragging equipment tilt the tilting elements in one direction, one spring will react against its stop pin to resiliently resist the tilting bias and should the impact be in the opposite direction, the other spring will react against its stop pin 35 to resiliently resist the tilting bias. The result is to resiliently maintain all of the tilting elements in the vertical position; the general effect being similar to that attained by the structure shown in applicant's prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,325,640.

A normally closed microswitch 52 is fixedly mounted in one of the outside tilting elements 27, the plunger of which, indicated at 53, rides against the periphery ofa short radius, stationary cam 55 secured against the adjacent shaft bearing 13 by means of suitable cap screws 54. The plunger 53 is reciprocated by its contact with the cam to open the switch 52 and a signal circuit g," as shown in H0. 7, when the tilting elements are tilted in either direction by dragging equipment contacts.

A photoelectric exciter lamp 36 (preferably a conventional 4a. 9v, bulb) is axially mounted in each extremity of the shaft 12 so as to project a light beam upwardly through a lens tube 37 and into a prism 38 in each of the outside tilting elements 27. The prisms reflect the seams horizontally inward toward each other immediately over the rails 10 and 11, as indicated by the broken lines A in H68. 2 and 3, into photoelectric cells 39, there being one of the cells 39 mounted in the beam path A in each of the inside tilting elements 26. Thus, it can be seen that any object passing on, are adjacent to, either rail will intercept one or both of the beams A.

To prevent the interceptions of the beams A, by the passing wheels ofa train from giving a dragging equipment signal, an electronic oscillator tank coil 40, is installed adjacent the-top of each of the outside tilting elements 27 and a similar electronic oscillator feedback coil 41, is installed adjacent the top of each of the inside tilting elements 26. The coils 40 and 41 are preferably wound upon ferrite cores 42 and are interconnected, as will be later described, so that should either beam be independently intercepted at either rail a warning dragging equipment signal will be instigated unless the oscillator at the opposite rail has been detuned by the presence of a wheel.

A horizontal outer shelf plate 44 is mounted on each ledge plate 18 outside of the adjacent rail and an inner shelf plate 45 is similarly mounted on each ledged [8' inside of the adjacent rail.

A false flange-detecting blade 46 is mounted on each shelf plate 44 and extends upwardly to a position in close proximity to the path of the outer peripheries of the wheel treads. After much use, the rail contacting portions of the treads of railway wheels will wear away so that a false flange will develop on the outside of the tread, spaced from the conventional inside flange. In such a case, the false flange will protect downwardly from the top of the rail so as to contact the detecting blade 46 as the wheel passes to produce a warning signal indication.

A high flange-detecting blade 47 is mounted on each shelf plate 45 and extends resiliently upward to a position below and in close proximity to the path of a normal wheel flange. When wheels are greatly worn, the flanges thereof will, of course, extend further downward from the tops of the rails so that the flanges of such wheels will contact the high flange-detecting blade 47 as the wheel passes to instigate a warning signal that replacement is due.

Wheels will occasionally be accidentally moved inwardly along their axles so as to be of less gauge than standard which creates a dangerous situation especially when switches and frogs are encountered. To give a warning signal that such a situation exists, a flexible spirally coiled cylindrical spring, which will be hereinafter referred to as the loose wheel coritact 48. is also mounted on each shelf plate 45 and extends vertically upward to be contacted by the flange of a wheel which has moved inward from the normal track path such as shown in broken line in FIG. 3a

The circuits for accomplishing the above described functions and results are diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 7 in which conventional battery circuits have been eliminated for the purpose of clarity. Referring to the latter FIG, it can be seen that there is a similar set ofelectronic equipment for each of the rails. Each set includes a conventional R.F. oscillator 49, capable of producing a rectified gate circuit voltage, and a gate voltage and photocell amplifier 50, to which the current controlled by the cell 39 of that set, is conducted as indicated at B. The tank coil 40 and the feedback coil 4] of each set are included in the oscillating field of the oscillator of that set, as indicated at C and D, respectively, and are tuned to oscillate at a preset frequency. f

The gate voltage output of the oscillator 49 of rail 10 will be conducted to the photocell amplifier 50 of rail ll, as shown at E, and the gate voltage output of the oscillator 49 of rail II will be conducted to the photocell amplifier 50 of the rail 10, as indicated at F. Thus, the photocell amplifier of each rail will be controlled by the output gate voltage of the oscillator at the other rail. Therefore. if any object intercepts the ray A at either rail, the amplifier of that rail will be deenergized to give a signal unless the oscillator at the opposite rail has been detuned by the presence of a wheel.

The photocell amplifier 50 of each set produces a controlled output and "the outputs of the two amplifiers 50 are connected in series with a normally closed defect signal circuit G which is remotely connected to any remote suitably signal device such as a conventional graphic record device 56 to produce a graph of the defects of a passing train.

A normally closed conventional counter 5| is connected in series with the output of the two photocell amplifiers 50, as shown at H, so that when the gate voltage drops simultaneously in both photocell amplifiers 50, the normally closed circuit H to the axle counter 51 will be opened to give a graphic indication that an axle is passing.

The two false flange detecting blades 46, the two high flange detecting blades 47 and the two loose wheel contacts 48 of each rail are all connected with the photocell amplifier 50 of that rail so that, ifa wheel contact is made with any or all, the respective photocell amplifier will be shorted out to give an open circuit signal through G indicating that something is wrong (such as a short or an interrupted beam) at that point in the axle count an investigation should be made at the indicated point to locate the trouble. The microswitch 52 in the normally closed circuit G will open the latter when the tilting elements are struck by dragging equipment to produce a graphic indication on the signal graph of the signal device 56 to which the signal circuit is connected.

As is common in railway signal practice, the circuits are fail safe" and the signals are produced by the opening of normally closed circuits.

While the beam A has been described as a light beam, it is, of course, understood that any equivalent beam, such as a microwave beam, a radiant energy beam, an electromagnetic beam, etc. could accomplish an equivalent function. The prism" could be replaced by a mirror or could be eliminated entirely if it were structurally possible to place the light source directly in the beam line.

The oscillating circuits including the tank coils 40 and the feedback coils 41 provide a wheel sensor which will prevent the dragging equipment detectors from giving a dragging equipment alarm when the wheel passes through one of the beams A. These results are accomplished by the cross connection of the output gate voltage of each oscillator to the amplifier of the opposite photocell as shown at E and F in FIG. 7.

Other types of suitable wheel sensors could replace one or both of the oscillators. above-described, by suitable connection to the amplifiers to obtain equivalent results.

I claim:

l. A defective equipment detector attached to one of the rails of a railway track comprising:

a. a transducer positioned at one side of a rail of said track so as to project an electromagnetic beam transversally thereover; 1 1

b. a transceiver positioned at the opposite side of said rail in alignment with and in the path of said beam;

. an amplifier, controllable by saidbeam;

. a signal circuit actuatable by said amplifier; v

. a signal means operable by said signal circuit; and

. pivotally mounted supporting means unitarily supporting both said transducer and said transceiver so that both will simultaneously swing; if contacted by passing equipment, without disturbing the alignment of said transducer with said transceiver. j v

2. A defective equipment detector as described in claim 1 combined with a second similar detector similarly positioned at the other rail of said track in transverse alignment with the first detector, the outputs of the amplifiers of the two detectors being connected in series with said signal circuit.

3. A defective equipment detector as described in claim 2 in which the first and second detectors each have:

a. an electronic oscillator producing a rectified gate voltage output, the oscillating circuit of each oscillator including a tank coil and a feedback coil which are positioned upon opposite sides of their respective rails so that metal masses passing along either rail will detune the oscillator and change the gate voltage output of the respective oscillator. a e

A defective equipment detector asdescribed in claim 3 having:

a. means connecting the gate voltage output of the oscillator of each detector with the amplifier of the other detector so that change in the oscillation of either detector will result in change of input to the amplifier of the other detector.

5. A defective equipment detector attached to one of the rails of a railway track comprising:

a. a light source positioned at one side of a rail of said track so as to project a beam transversally thereover;

b. a photocell positioned at the opposite side of said rail in alignment with and in the path of said ray;

0. an electronic photocell amplifier in circuit with said photocell and controllable by the latter;

d. a signal circuit controlled by the output of said photocell amplifier to produce a record of the interceptions of said beam by equipment passing along said track; and

. pivotally mounted supporting means unitarily supporting both said light source and said photocell so that both will simultaneously swing, if contacted by passing equipment, without disturbing the alignment of said light source with i said photocell. 6. A defective equipment detectoras described in claim combined with a second similar detector similarly positioned and attached to the other rail of said track in transverse alignment with the first detector, the outputs of the amplifiers of two detectors being connected in series with said signal circuit.

7. A defective equipment detector as described in claim 6 in which the first and second detectors each have:

a. an electronic oscillator producing a rectified gate voltage output, the oscillating circuit of each oscillator including a tank coil and a feedback coil which are respectively positioned upon opposite sides of their respective rails so that metal masses passing along. one of said rails will detune the oscillator and change the gate voltage output;

and i p b. means connecting the gate voltage output of each of said oscillators with one of said amplifiers for control of the latter;

8. A defective equipment detector as described in claim 7 in which: v

a. the gate voltage output of the oscillator of each detector is connected with the amplifier of the other detector so that detuning of the oscillation of the first detector will result in change ofinput to the amplifier of the second detector.

9. A dragging equipment detector for use on a railroad track to actuate a signal circuit when contacted by equipment ahnormally depending belowa passing train comprising:

a. a horizontal shaft positioned below and transversally of said track; 1

. means for rotatably suspending said shaft from said rails;

. an outside tilting clement secured to, and adjacent each extremity of, said shaft so as to project above and in close proximity to the outer side of each rail;

. an inside tilting element radially aligned with and secured to said shaft so as to project above and in close proximity to the inner side of eachrail;

means for resiliently maintaining said tilting elements in a substantially vertical position;

means for giving a signal when said shaft is rotated in either direction by the contact of dragging equipment with said tilting elements;

. a photocell in each of said inside tilting elements;

. a light source in each of said outside tilting elements positioned to direct a beam of light across and above the intervening rail into the photocell of the adjacent inside tilting element; and

. electronic means for actuating a signal circuit when either beam is intercepted by equipment passing along its respective rail.

10. A dragging equipment detector as described in claim 9 in which the electronic means for actuation includes:

a. an electronic photocell amplifier in circuit with each photocell and controllable by its respective photocell; and

b. means for serially connecting the outputs of the two amplifiers in said signal circuit.

11. A dragging equipment detector as described in claim I0 having:

a. an electronic oscillator for each rail producing a rectified gate voltage output the oscillating circuit of each oscillator including a tank coil and a feedback coil positioned on opposite sides of the respective rails so that metal masses passing between said light source and said photocell will detune the oscillators and change the gate voltage output;

and Y b. means connecting the output of the oscillator of each detector with the photocell amplifier of the other detector so that the interruption of oscillation of either detector will change the input to the amplifier of the other detector.

12. A dragging equipment detector as described in claim ll having:

a. a metal tread contact leaf positioned in close proximity to the outside and top of each rail and connected to one of said photocell amplifiers to short out the latter when contacted by the false flange ofa passing wheel.

13. A dragging equipment detector as described in claim ll having:

a. a high flange-detecting blade positioned in close proximity to the inside of each rail below the top thereof and connected to one'of the photocell amplifiers to short out the latter when contacted by a passing wheel.

14. A dragging equipment detector as described in claim 11 having:

a. a loose wheel contact positioned inside the flange path of a passing wheel so as to be contacted by the flange of a wheel having excessive spacing between its flange and the rail.

15. A dragging equipment detector as described in claim I having means responsive to the close proximity of a passing railway car wheel, acting to prevent actuation of said signal means. 

1. A defective equipment detector attached to one of the rails of a railway track comprising: a. a transducer positioned at one side of a rail of said track so as to project an electromagnetic beam transversally thereover; b. a transceiver positioned at the opposite side of said rail in alignment with and in the path of said beam; c. an amplifier, controllable by said beam; d. a signal circuit actuatable by said amplifier; e. a signal means operable by said signal circuit; and f. pivotally mounted supporting means unitarily supporting both said transducer and said transceiver so that both will simultaneously swing, if contacted by passing equipment, without disturbing the alignment of said transducer with said transceiver.
 2. A defective equipment detector as described in claim 1 combined with a second similar detector similarly positioned at the other rail of said track in transverse alignment with the first detector, the outputs of the amplifiers of the two detectors being connected in series with said signal circuit.
 3. A defective equipment detector as described in claim 2 in which the first and second detectors each have: a. an electronic oscillator producing a rectified gate voltage output, the oscillating circuit of each oscillator including a tank coil and a feedback coil which are positioned upon opposite sides of their respective rails so that metal masses passing along either rail will detune the oscillator and change the gate voltage output of the respective oscillator.
 4. A defective equipment detector as described in claim 3 having: a. means connecting the gate voltage output of the oscillator of each detector with the amplifier of the other detector so that change in the oscillation of either detector will result in change of input to the amplifIer of the other detector.
 5. A defective equipment detector attached to one of the rails of a railway track comprising: a. a light source positioned at one side of a rail of said track so as to project a beam transversally thereover; b. a photocell positioned at the opposite side of said rail in alignment with and in the path of said ray; c. an electronic photocell amplifier in circuit with said photocell and controllable by the latter; d. a signal circuit controlled by the output of said photocell amplifier to produce a record of the interceptions of said beam by equipment passing along said track; and e. pivotally mounted supporting means unitarily supporting both said light source and said photocell so that both will simultaneously swing, if contacted by passing equipment, without disturbing the alignment of said light source with said photocell.
 6. A defective equipment detector as described in claim 5 combined with a second similar detector similarly positioned and attached to the other rail of said track in transverse alignment with the first detector, the outputs of the amplifiers of two detectors being connected in series with said signal circuit.
 7. A defective equipment detector as described in claim 6 in which the first and second detectors each have: a. an electronic oscillator producing a rectified gate voltage output, the oscillating circuit of each oscillator including a tank coil and a feedback coil which are respectively positioned upon opposite sides of their respective rails so that metal masses passing along one of said rails will detune the oscillator and change the gate voltage output; and b. means connecting the gate voltage output of each of said oscillators with one of said amplifiers for control of the latter.
 8. A defective equipment detector as described in claim 7 in which: a. the gate voltage output of the oscillator of each detector is connected with the amplifier of the other detector so that detuning of the oscillation of the first detector will result in change of input to the amplifier of the second detector.
 9. A dragging equipment detector for use on a railroad track to actuate a signal circuit when contacted by equipment abnormally depending below a passing train comprising: a. a horizontal shaft positioned below and transversally of said track; b. means for rotatably suspending said shaft from said rails; c. an outside tilting element secured to, and adjacent each extremity of, said shaft so as to project above and in close proximity to the outer side of each rail; d. an inside tilting element radially aligned with and secured to said shaft so as to project above and in close proximity to the inner side of each rail; e. means for resiliently maintaining said tilting elements in a substantially vertical position; f. means for giving a signal when said shaft is rotated in either direction by the contact of dragging equipment with said tilting elements; g. a photocell in each of said inside tilting elements; h. a light source in each of said outside tilting elements positioned to direct a beam of light across and above the intervening rail into the photocell of the adjacent inside tilting element; and i. electronic means for actuating a signal circuit when either beam is intercepted by equipment passing along its respective rail.
 10. A dragging equipment detector as described in claim 9 in which the electronic means for actuation includes: a. an electronic photocell amplifier in circuit with each photocell and controllable by its respective photocell; and b. means for serially connecting the outputs of the two amplifiers in said signal circuit.
 11. A dragging equipment detector as described in claim 10 having: a. an electronic oscillator for each rail producing a rectified gate voltage output the oscillating circuit of each oscillator including a tank coil and a feedback coil positioned on opposite sides oF the respective rails so that metal masses passing between said light source and said photocell will detune the oscillators and change the gate voltage output; and b. means connecting the output of the oscillator of each detector with the photocell amplifier of the other detector so that the interruption of oscillation of either detector will change the input to the amplifier of the other detector.
 12. A dragging equipment detector as described in claim 11 having: a. a metal tread contact leaf positioned in close proximity to the outside and top of each rail and connected to one of said photocell amplifiers to short out the latter when contacted by the false flange of a passing wheel.
 13. A dragging equipment detector as described in claim 11 having: a. a high flange-detecting blade positioned in close proximity to the inside of each rail below the top thereof and connected to one of the photocell amplifiers to short out the latter when contacted by a passing wheel.
 14. A dragging equipment detector as described in claim 11 having: a. a loose wheel contact positioned inside the flange path of a passing wheel so as to be contacted by the flange of a wheel having excessive spacing between its flange and the rail.
 15. A dragging equipment detector as described in claim 1 having means responsive to the close proximity of a passing railway car wheel, acting to prevent actuation of said signal means. 